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Pasco officers say building trust with students is central to the school resource officer role
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Summary
Pasco police officers describe their work in Pasco School District high schools as focused on building relationships so students feel comfortable seeking help; officers also cited social-media conflicts and the need to connect students with outside resources such as CPS.
A local report identified Pasco police officer Eric Maddox as one of three school resource officers assigned to Pasco School District high schools and said officers prioritize connecting with students over enforcement.
"It is building those relationships to where they feel comfortable enough that they can come and talk to me about anything," said a Pasco police officer, describing how students will come to an officer's office to seek help when they trust that officer.
Officer Ismael Canno, who has been a school resource officer for more than a decade, said he chose the SRO role to work directly with students and tries to overcome early negative perceptions. "Some kids get to the point where they come up and they play around with me," Canno said, adding that those interactions are a "great feeling."
The officers and the report highlighted that many students first meet Pasco police officers in the district's middle schools, a continuity that officers said helps in high school. Officers emphasized patience and educational responses, noting that with younger students it is often better to treat incidents as teaching moments.
The report and officers also raised social media and home-life conflicts as recurring drivers of school incidents. "They're, you know, 10, 11 years old, 12 years old, and they're using social media sometimes for for bad things like that," Canno said, urging guidance rather than punishment where possible.
Officers stressed they do not always respond solely as law enforcement. "Because it might not always be law enforcement needed, but they might need a resource that is needed and that I can help that connect make that connection for them," one officer said, describing referrals to outside agencies such as child protective services when appropriate.
The segment presented the SRO role as a mix of safety, relationship-building and referrals to non-police services, with officers pointing to long-term benefits from early engagement and patient, educational approaches.
